The standard cruise control is a device that allows the motorist to maintain a constant preselected vehicle speed without being required to depress the accelerator pedal. By automatically depressing the accelerator pedal to maintain a preselected velocity, cruise control eliminates the leg fatigue that can accompany sustained highway travel. This leg fatigue usually centers around the ankle and is the result of the varying amounts of accelerator pedal depression required of the motorist to maintain a fairly constant vehicle speed.
There are some motorists who, while appreciating the speed control capability of cruise control, do not appreciate the means by which speed control is obtained. These motorists feel uncomfortable with a device that can pull the accelerator pedal into a depressed position. This discomfort is exacerbated by the lack of contact between the driver's foot and the accelerator pedal that is generally required for smooth and precise operation of cruise control.
Another unattractive feature of cruise control use concerns a potential reduction in highway safety. When not using cruise control, most motorists are accustomed to the often-rehearsed lateral movement of the foot (or leg) when going from the accelerator pedal to the brake. An increase in reaction time regarding the execution of a braking response may occur when a motorist is using cruise control because: (1) the typical lateral response is no longer effective and (2) placement of the motorist's foot varies and must be determined each time a braking response is to be executed. This latency in the braking response is potentially dangerous.
Still another feature of cruise control that incurs disfavor with some motorists is that its disengagement always requires a braking response or a button-pressing response. And engagement or re-engagement of cruise control always requires a button-pressing response. In heavy traffic, execution of these behavioral requirements is not only tedious but can prove potentially dangerous as well if the motorist delays disengaging the cruise control until absolutely necessary in the hope of avoiding the inconvenience entailed in temporarily reducing speed.